The views and photographs of Adrian Colston

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Castle Drogo

As part of Castle Drogo’s restoration project a new set of installations have been put up in the Teign Valley called Teign Spirits. The modern photographs give a sense of the history of the Valley along with an insight into the Drewe family. In total there are 10 photographs created by Mike Smallcombe a Devon artist who works in London. Here are four of the works.

Just up the River Teign from Fingle Bridge is the charcoal maker hung high along the riverside path

Detail illustrating the life and times of the charcoal maker – this used to be a major industry in the valley

To the right of the path near Fingle Bridge is a photo depicting the aftermath of the fire at the nearby Fingle Mill – the miller’s wife and children have just escaped the fire. The ruins of the Mill can still be seen near to Fingle Bridge on the way to Fingle Woods

By the salmon pool by the weir is a photograph of the Venetian chandelier purchased by the Drewes whilst on their honeymoon – it has been photographed in the formal gardens so as to ‘blend the inside and outside’.

On an island near the weir is a photograph depicting Blackenstone Quarry where much of the stone for Drogo was quarried. The photo shows the daughter of a quarryman bringing him his lunch.

Another installation near the turbine house shows Julius Drewe salmon fishing. This is not one of Mike’s pieces but has been produced as part of the restoration project. On a good clear day you can see this piece from the Castle

The Iron Bridge over the salmon pool – a classic turning point on a Teign Valley walk.

There are 6 other Smallcombe photos on the Drogo Estate – for full details and a map visit the Drogo Visitor Centre. Well worth a visit – great photos and a great walk.

As promised in yesterday’s blog here is a quick introduction to Castle Drogo’s new installations. We only had 30 minutes to whizz around yesterday before we ‘shot up’ onto the roof. I will definitely return and have a more detailed look. Before then here is a little insight and some photos. The full photo set can be seen here.

The Castle entrance – the works office 1911 and 2015

An installation in the ‘library’ – the history of the Drewes and Drogo illustrated on a model of the Scullery lantern – Julius Drewe himself

The recently refurbished chandelier in the main living room

The restored huge window on the main staircase – with the scaffolding in the background

The amazing restored Louis 4th tapestry – only one of five in the world – look at those colours

The back of the tapestry showing the repairs and the ‘reversed’ face

A woodlouse – a potential inhabiter, if the Castle were not to be repaired

One of the wonders of Dartmoor is the National Trust’s Castle Drogo near Drewsteignton. Construction began in 1911 by Britain’s best known architect Edwin Lutyens and the owner Julius Drewe. This was an epic project representing the ambitions and dreams of Drewe. This short post tells of the story of where Drewe derived his money to embark on such a grand scheme.

It is a story of major Victorian and Edwardian entrepreneurship and success. In 1883 Julius Drewe set up the company in partnership with John Musker – the business consisted of a single grocery shop on the Edgware Road in London – the shop mainly specialised in tea and traded initially as the Home and Colonial Tea Association. Shops were opened in Islington, Leeds and Birmingham. The company then rapidly began to expand – by 1900 there were over 100 stores and by 1903 there were over 500 – it was now known as home and Colonial Stores Ltd.

H and C sign outside the cafe at Castle Drogo

During the 1920s various acquisitions and mergers occurred and by 1931 there were over 3000 branches. This expansion and growth is as impressive as anything we have seen since in the food retail sector!

The company’s aims were to sell food to people from Britain and from her Empire – introducing shoppers to food and drink (particularly tea) from around the world. By 1955 it was the 27th largest company in the country.

I am of a generation that was born after the end of the British Empire and therefore never experienced this company but many of an older generation do remember it. By 1961 reflecting the end of the Empire the stores were rebranded as Allied Suppliers. In 1972 the business was sold and eventually it became part of the Safeways chain in 1981.

At Castle Drogo today the importance of the Home and Colonial Stores is remembered as a key part of the history of Drogo itself.

After their appearance on Countryfile Lily Warne Wool poppies are in great demand! I managed to get one yesterday from our shop at Sexton’s Cottage in Widecombe. By the way – they still have 20 left – well they did yesterday afternoon….

A classic

The wool for these poppies and her other products are made from the wool of Dartmoor Greyfaced sheep which I have written about before – see here. I bought the wool poppy for my partner and by coincidence she visited the Tower of London to see the poppy installation there. I am now very jealous as I really want to see that myself too.

Here is her iPhone picture

Poppy day is all about remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice along with those who fought and survived and every year at this time I think of two National Trust related people.

This is Major Adrian Drewe – the son of Julius Drewe who built Castle Drogo. Adrian was killed in 1917 in a mustard gas attack at Ypres. There is a moving room in the Castle (which you can visit) in his memory and it contains many of his possessions.

The other person I think of is Major Willam Hole – who donated his Parke Estate to the National Trust in 1974. Major Hole survived the war but served in the Devon Imperial Yeomanry at Gallipoli, in Egypt and in Palestine during World War 1.

My colleague Fred Hutt – the Ranger at Parke is currently looking for a volunteer to research more into the history of the Hole family at Parke and perhaps even find a photograph of the Major in his uniform! If you would like to help – let me know and I will pass on your details to Fred